MORRISTOWN – Kiera Harkins couldn’t help but laugh. She’s been in the pool for three Chatham High School victories at the Morris County Championships, and in the stands for several more, supporting her older sister Hailey Harkins.
After tying the meet record in the 100-meter butterfly, Kiera looked back at what she described as the Cougars’ “dynasty.”
The Chatham girls earned their 16th consecutive Morris County team title on Saturday. The Cougars boys took home their fourth in a row.
“Watching (my sister) swim, I wanted to be on this team,” said Harkins, who brought home two individual titles and was on two winning relays on Saturday. “It’s awesome. Chatham has always been a powerhouse. There’s no jinxing it.”
Senior Charlie Kulp followed up Harkins’ butterfly meet record with one of his own. He won the fly in 55.23 seconds, faster than Mountain Lakes alum Matthew Luciano in 2011. It was Kulp’s only individual event of the county championships, with an eye toward the milestone.
But just as important was Chatham qualifying three boys for the final heat – and getting points from all of them. The Cougars boys had at least one swimmer in the final heat of all but the 100 free. Not to be outdone, Chatham’s girls qualified multiple swimmers for every final heat except in breaststroke.
“It shows how good we are, the depth,” said Kulp, who has signed a National Letter of Intent with Duke University. “A lot of teams have that one guy who’s going to step up. It shows how deep we are across the board, and that’s what allows us to win these kinds of meets.”
Beware of falling records!
∎ Mendham senior Kenneth Barnicle likes “to set a goal super high, almost unachievable, and go for that.” His aim on Saturday was to break the NISCA record in the 400-meter freestyle.
Barnicle left Morristown with two more Morris County titles – in the shortest and longest races – and a new Morris County record of 3:53.33.
But he was three hundredths of a second off the NISCA public-school record set by Destin Lasco from Mainland on Dec. 14, 2017. The independent record of 3:50.65 is held by Pingry grad and 2024 Olympian Matt Fallon from the 2021 NJSIAA Meet of Champions.
A three-time MOC winner, Barnicle is also a three-time double-winner at the Morris County meet. He has signed a National Letter of Intent to swim alongside Olympian Jack Alexy, another Mendham resident, at Berkeley – and where Lasco currently is a grad student.
“To be that close to the national high school record, it makes me think of all the things I could have done in the race,” Barnicle said. “But it’ll also push me.”
∎ Morgan Mindrebo didn’t just post a personal best of 1:12.38 in the 100-meter breaststroke on Saturday. She didn’t just win a Morris County title, either. Mindrebo, a Morris Knolls freshman, also took down one of the oldest school records – dating back to 1987, before head coach Kyle Plucinsky was born.
Mindrebo edged Hanover Park junior Thi Tran, a double winner last winter, by 13 hundredths of a second.
“She was really close. I could see her,” Mindrebo said. “My walls aren’t very good, but the middle, the swimming part, was the best.”
∎ Morristown senior Jack MacMillan had a chip on his shoulder diving into his home pool for the 100 free on Saturday. He hadn’t defended his title in the 50, so MacMillan was determined to do something particularly special in his last individual county race. He took down his own school record while winning the 100 free in 52.29 seconds.
“Last year, I got the 50. This year, I wanted the 100 bad. I wanted redemption for the 50, and I executed what I needed to do,” said MacMillan, who signed a NLI with Lehigh University. “It’s pretty awesome to race guys like (Delbarton’s) Max (Ciechanowski) and (Dom) Narduzzi. They’re fast and young too. I see them being at the top of the county.”
∎ Parsippany Hills senior Connor Johnson decided to try something a little different for his last county meet. Johnson flipped to the butterfly and breaststroke, instead of the IM. He set school records in both – and led three Vikings swimmers in the top six.
“It’s been a long time coming,” said Johnson, who signed a National Letter of Intent with Virginia Tech. “I’m happy with the outcome.”
Double, no trouble
∎ Chatham junior Gloria Jeng won her third straight 50-meter free title on Saturday morning, fulfilling her goal. Jeng came back to claim the 100 free. She was also part of the Cougars’ winning 200 free relay, which took down host Morristown’s 5-year-old record.
“It feels absolutely amazing,” Jeng said. “I was really trying to push the finish, and have a good mindset going into (the races) I try to set a rhythm in my head. It’s important to have for a good sprint free.”
With a little help from my friends
∎ Mountain Lakes sophomore Serena Dickey picked up a new Morris County title on Saturday. She won the 200 individual medley after finishing second to Morris Knolls’ Sophia Yousuf – a LHY teammate – a year ago. And just like in that race, Dickey drew inspiration from hours of club swimming with Kinnelon senior Ellie De Keukelaere.
De Keukelaere also anchored the Colts’ first-place medley relay.
“It’s fun swimming next to her,” Dickey said. “It gives me someone to push me to do my best. It’s a fun experience.”
∎ Dalton Brooks captured his first county title in the IM. A swimmer since age 8, the Delbarton junior was thrilled to be surrounded by so many familiar faces.
“Having all my teammates here is really nice,” said Brooks, who grew up in Montville. “It’s a fast meet too. I love being around good competition.”
Girls results
Team scores: Chatham 292; Randolph 121; Morristown Beard 120; Kinnelon and Morristown 119; Mountain Lakes 94; West Morris 85; Morris Knolls 78; Roxbury 62; St. Elizabeth 54; Park Regional 40; Mount Olive 38; Mendham 34; Morris Hills 11; Parsippany Hills and Madison 8; Pequannock 5
Medley relay: 1. Kinnelon (Elena Ivosevic, Kylie Papendick, Anna Kilponen, Ellie DeKeukelaere) 2:04.48; 2. Mountain Lakes 2:07.45; 3. Chatham 2:09.19; 4. Morristown Beard 2:09.42; 5. Morristown 2:09.44; 6. Randolph 2:10.16.
200-meter freestyle: 1. Madeline Crawford (Chatham) 2:06.67; 2. Isla Johnston (Morristown Beard) 2:08.75; 3. Anna Kilponen (Kinnelon) 2:12.19; 5. Lulu Barnard (Mountain Lakes) 2:13.55; 6. Victoria Bono (Mendham) 2:13.66.
200-meter individual medley: 1. Serena Dickey (Mountain Lakes) 2:23.58; 2. Morgan Mindrebo (Morris Knolls) 2:26.29; 3. Ellie DeKeukelaere (Kinnelon) 2:27.47; 5. Danielle Casaba (Mount Olive) 2:30.29; 5. Avery Loock (Chatham) 2:31.98; 6. Julianna Young (Randolph) 2:34.26.
50-meter freestyle: 1. Gloria Jeng (Chatham) 27.0; 2. Maya Weinmann (Morristown Beard) 27.05; 3. Sarah Thomas (Chatham) 27.32; 5. Abby Ford (West Morris) 27.71; 5. Sydney Wright (Randolph) 28.27; 6. Elisa Porebski (West Morris) 28.31.
100-meter butterfly: 1. Kiera Harkins (Chatham) 1:02.17* (old meet record: 1:02.17, Thi Tran, Park, 2024); 2. Anna Kilponen (Kinnelon) 1:02.56; 3. Thi Tran (Park) 1:02.6; 4. Emily Bohl (Chatham) 1:09.56; 5. Brynn Patarozzi (St. Elizabeth) 1:10.56; 6. Lilia Ushiki (Morristown) 1:11.26.
100-meter freestyle: 1. Gloria Jeng (Chatham) 59.33; 2. Maya Weinmann (Morristown Beard) 59.46; 3. Sarah Thomas (Chatham) 1:00.69; 4. Abby Ford (West Morris) 1:00.91; 5. Elisa Porebski (West Morris) 1:02.23; 6. Indiya Weinmann (Morristown Beard) 1:02.5.
400-meter freestyle: 1. Madeline Crawford (Chatham) 4:24.44; 2. Isla Johnston (Morristown Beard) 4:31.52; 3. Maya Anikiej (Roxbury) 4:38.72; 4. Ellie DeKeukelaere (Kinnelon) 4:40.84; 5. Mariah Quad (Morristown) 4:41.03; 6. Sophie Sanders (Roxbury) 4:42.07.
200-meter free relay: 1. Chatham (Madeline Crawford, Sarah Thomas, Gloria Jeng, Kiera Harkins) 1:47.79* (old record 1:48.12, Morristown, 2020); 2. Kinnelon 1:54.41; 3. Morristown 1:55.28; 4. West Morris 1:55.89; 5. Randolph 1:56.85; 6. Mountain Lakes 1:57.75.
100-meter backstroke: 1. Kiera Harkins (Chatham) 1:04.47; 2. Danielle Cabsaba (Mount Olive) 1:05.91; 3. Avery Loock (Chatham) 1:06.57; 4. Lulu Barnard (Mountain Lakes) 1:06.8; 5. Indiya Weinmann (Morristown Beard) 1:09.3; 6. Emerson Osean (Morristown) 1:09.61.
100-yard breaststroke: 1. Morgan Mindrebo (Morris Knolls) 1:12.38; 2. Thi Tran (Park) 1:12.51; 3. Julianna Young (Randolph) 1:16.6; 4. Kylie Papendick (Kinnelon) 1:19.47; 5. Josie Speace (St. Elizabeth) 1:19.84; 6. Ella Pit (Mendham) 1:20.29.
400-meter free relay: 1. Chatham (Madeline Crawford, Sarah Thomas, Gloria Jeng, Kiera Harkins) 3:57.7; 2. Morristown Beard 4:09.77; 3. Randolph 4:15.26; 4. West Morris 4:16.78; 5. Roxbury 4:21.73; 6. St. Elizabeth 4:25.01.
Boys results
Team scores: Chatham 299; Delbarton 189; Mendham 147; Morristown 111.5; Parsippany Hills 96; Kinnelon 84; Morris Hills 63; Randolph 59; Roxbury 57; Morris Knolls 45; Madison 37; Mountain Lakes 34.5; Morristown Beard 21; Park Regional 15; Mount Olive and West Morris 13; Parsippany 9; Montville 1
Medley relay: 1. Chatham (Ryan O’Day, Andrew O’Day, Tirian Chang, Charlie Kulp) 1:46.09; 2. Morristown 1:50.11; 3. Mendham 1:50.32; 4. Parsippany Hills 1:50.95; 5. Delbarton 1:51.52; 6. Kinnelon 1:53.33.
200-meter freestyle: 1. Jack Kulp (Chatham) 1:58.13; 2. Anderson Ruhnke (Delbarton) 1:59.42; 3. Nathan Milun (Roxbury) 2:00.56; 4. Brett Davis (Chatham) 2:00.91; 5. Kenny East (Delbarton) 2:01.45; 6. Dimitri Fedorov (Mendham) 2:02.1.
200-meter individual medley: 1. Dalton Brooks (Delbarton) 2:10.88; 2. William von Doussa (Chatham) 2:13.41; 3. Anuthra Abeysinghe (Madison) 2:14.81; 4. Andrew O’Day (Chatham) 2:15.17; 5. Declan Robinson (Chatham) 2:19.07; 6. Ryan Zhang (Parsippany) 2:23.29.
50-meter freestyle: 1. Kenneth Barnicle (Mendham) 23.11; 2. Jack MacMillan (Morristown) 23.61; 3. Dom Narduzzi (Delbarton) 24.06; 4. Max Ciechanowski (Delbarton) 24.15; 5. Sebastian Canosa (Morristown) 24.34.; 6. Jon Papendick (Kinnelon) 24.5.
100-meter butterfly: 1. Charlie Kulp (Chatham) 55.23* (old record: 55.49, Matthew Luciano, Mountain Lakes, 2011); 2. Connor Johnson (Parsippany Hills) 55.74; 3. Sebastian Canosa (Morristown) 56.49; 4. Tirian Chang (Chatham) 57.83; 5. Will L’Estrange (Morristown Beard) 58.02; 6. Ryan O’Day (Chatham) 58.07.
100-meter freestyle: 1. Jack MacMillan (Morristown) 52.29; 2. Max Ciechanowski (Delbarton) 53.63; 3. Dom Narduzzi (Delbarton) 54.14; 4. David Zoltek (Kinnelon) 54.15; 5. Jon Papendick (Kinnelon) 54.16; 6. Dimitri Fedorov (Mendham) 54.82.
400-meter freestyle: 1. Kenneth Barnicle (Mendham) 3:53.33* (old record: 3:56.33, Ryan Waters, Morristown Beard, 2017); 2. Jack Kulp (Chatham) 4:11.61; 3. Matthew Barnicle (Mendham) 4:13.33; 4. Kenny East (Delbarton) 4:!4.83; 5. Nathan Milun (Roxbury) 4:16.33; 6. Cooper Moffatt (Parsippany Hills) 4:17.54.
200-meter free relay: 1. Chatham (William von Doussa, Ransom Chang, Jack Kulp, Charlie Kulp) 1:38.1; 2. Morristown 1:38.6; 3. Delbarton 1:39.07; 4. Kinnelon 1:40.99; 5. Randolph 1:45.55; 6. Morris Knolls 1:46.69.
100-meter backstroke: 1. Ryan O’Day (Chatham) 59.85; 2. Martin Castro-Salazar (Mendham) 1:00.77; 3. Tirian Chang (Madison) 1:01.15; 4. Jacques Chemaly (Madison) 1:03.83; 5. Andrew Lahey (Morris Knolls) 1:04.06; 6. Logan Pfarrer (Morris Hills) 1:04.83.
100-yard breaststroke: 1. Connor Johnson (Parsippany Hills) 1:05.07; 2. Andrew O’Day (Chatham) 1:05.42; 3. Dalton Brooks (Delbarton) 1:07.33; 4. Anuthra Abeysinghe (Madison) 1:07.56; 5. Michael Bunzendahl (Parsippany Hills) 1:08.02; 6. Cooper Moffatt (Parsippany Hills) 1:08.91.
400-meter free relay: 1. Chatham (William von Doussa, Ryan O’Day, Jack Kulp, Charlie Kulp) 3:33.68; 2. Mendham 3:34.4; 3. Delbarton 3:38.18; 4. Randolph 3:52.88; 5. Morris Hills 3:54.84; 6. Roxbury 3:57.02.
